We Just Live Together
by raisin bean
Summary: A chronicle of the happy life Gokudera and Hibari share under the same roof.
1. We're Going Home

We Just Live Together

by raisin bean

Summary: A chronicle of the happy life Gokudera and Hibari share under the same roof.

* * *

Chapter 1: We're Going Home

Preview: In which Hibari takes Gokudera home with him.

* * *

A note is taped to the door. Gokudera doesn't recall it being there last night, but it was late when he got back and he flicked his lighter just to see the keyhole. At a glance, he can already tell by the red ink that this is no joke. When he tears the paper off the door to take a closer look, he swears loudly. "_Evicted?!_"

Dynamite sprouts between his fingers without conscious thought. How could he get evicted from this shitty hole of shit? He paid the rent last month, and he almost had enough for this month's rent, and he already paid off for the last fire, and he kept his dynamite outside of the apartment now-what more could be asked? Pocketing the dynamite, he rubs the furrow in his brow. The notice gives him forty-eight hours to vacate, but the date was signed yesterday.

He can take out the big sticks and wave them in Hashimoto's face with a lighter in his other hand, but the last time he tried that he only just outran the cops. He doesn't want police attention. He has Tenth to think about, after all. A smart mafioso avoids the cops until he owns the cops.

There is no helping it. Gokudera brings all his worldly possessions with him to school in two duffle bags and hides them. He would skip to look for somewhere to crash, but Tenth would worry. He can't do that to Tenth, not when Tenth has his future as Vongola X to think about. So he greets Tenth as enthusiastically as every other day, growls at the baseball idiot walking with him, and takes his place on Tenth's right side.

He doesn't even pretend to listen in class today. Head propped up on one hand, he twiddles his pencil in the other, his limited options listed on the page where he should be taking notes.

He'd hate to bother kindhearted Tenth, though others aren't so considerate. Tenth already has three brats living with him and Reborn-san and Bianchi-NO. He decisively crosses off Tenth, but reconsiders, erases the name and line and all, rewrites 'Tenth' and puts a box around it. Now Tenth is there, just enclosed in a box he isn't willing to encroach upon.

There is the baseball idiot. Gokudera looks at him now, the vague smile plastered on his stupid, empty head. Well, not empty-his brains are more likely replaced with baseballs bouncing around in that thick skull. Gokudera is already annoyed, and he hasn't even spoken to the guy. 'Baseball idiot' is crossed off as well.

Then there is the womanizer. He has lived in the same house as Shamal before, but it was a mansion, and Shamal wasn't at home very often anyway. To live in close quarters with that dirty old man… Ergh. 'Pervy doctor' is crossed off.

And that's it. All three options. Gokudera's head hits the desk. When he looks up, everyone is looking at him with concern, Tenth especially, but he just covers his forehead and gives a half-assed grin.

* * *

"There's something I gotta take care of, so I'll see you tomorrow, Tenth."

Gokudera waves as Tenth and Yamamoto walk out of the school entrance, then makes a show of going off in the opposite direction. As soon as he turns the corner, however, he jumps up and vaults over the school wall, landing crouched on his feet. There is no one around to see him pull his bags out of the bushes.

Still he creeps through the school building, wary of any lingering students finishing up late assignments or meeting for club activities. Particularly students with pompadours. Any other day he'd be raring for a go at one of the arrogant bastards, especially the arrogant bastard in charge, but, just for today, he wants to avoid the Disciplinary Committee.

Which might be hard, considering he's headed for their base of operations: the reception room.

It makes sense. The reception room is the only room in the school with couches and window shades. He can spend the night there, get up early and go looking for a place to rent. All he has to do is make sure no one sees him go in or out.

He tries the doorknob, which resists the turn with a chink. Good. That means no one is inside. Kneeling before the door, he looks to the right and to the left before inserting two picks. He fiddles with them for about a minute, then there is a click and the door swings ajar. He slinks in with his bags, closes the door softly, and locks it from the inside.

The room is empty. No footsteps in the hall. Slinging his bags to the side, Gokudera flops onto the longest couch, feet dangling off the armrest, hands beneath his head, grinning. This at least is a brief respite from his frequent financial troubles.

His grin fades into his usual scowl. He also needs to brush up his lock picking, took longer than it should have. But that is a concern for another day. Shifting onto his side, he pulls up his legs onto the seat, his left arm acting as a pillow.

* * *

Gokudera is awoken by the impact of his face on the floor. "Ow, what the fu-!" he splutters and rolls over onto his back to try to get up. A foot planted on his chest prevents him.

"What do you think you're doing here, Gokudera Hayato?" says Hibari Kyoya, the owner of the foot.

"Get off me!" Gokudera shoves at Hibari's leg and Hibari steps back. Gokudera sits up, brushing off his chest.

"Why do you have all your belongings with you?" says Hibari. Gokudera sees now that his duffle bags are unzipped.

"What are you looking through my stuff for?" Gokudera snaps back, getting to his feet.

Hibari pushes Gokudera and he falls onto the couch. "Why were you going to stay the night here?"

"None of your damn business," Gokudera says, moving forward. Hibari pins Gokudera to the couch with a tonfa against his throat, Hibari resting his right foot beside Gokudera's thigh while his left supports him on the floor.

"Have you been run out like a dog?" Hibari says softly. Then his eyebrows rise slightly and, like an afterthought, he adds, "You are one of the top students in the school."

Gokudera frowns. "What? What does that have to do with anything?"

Hibari ignores him, talking aloud as if to himself, "For such a student to sleep on a couch-"

"_You_ do it all the time!"

"-would not do justice to Namimori." Hibari straightens and puts his tonfa away. "Get up."

Gokudera massages his neck. "Why?"

"We're going home."

Gokudera pulls back, eyes wide. "We? You and me, we?"

Hibari crosses his arms, narrowing eyes an indication of his impatience. "I will not repeat myself."

"Are you crazy?" Gokudera shakes his head slowly. "No way, no _fricking_ way. I'd rather sleep in a tree than in your house."

Hibari stares at him.

* * *

Somehow Gokudera ends up on the back of Hibari's motorcycle, his hands braced behind him against the seat 'cause no way in hell is he clinging to Hibari's waist. The darkened shield of the helmet covers his face, so no one can recognize him, small comfort that it is.

"Are you serious?" he said, stopping dead when he saw what Hibari was headed for. Hibari threw the one helmet at him, which hit him in the chest before he caught it. Then Hibari mounted the motorcycle and looked at him expectantly.

At least he didn't pat the seat.

The light changes to green, and they speed off. Unexpectedly, Hibari obeys traffic laws. He's probably right on the dot of the speed limit, if not lower. He takes his time with the right turn, a lazy arc around the corner, hardly leaning over. When they are righted again, Hibari glances back at Gokudera briefly-and it occurs to him just then that Hibari might be taking it slow for his benefit.

The thought is staggering.

Within ten minutes, Hibari pulls into a driveway that leads up to a large one-story Japanese-style mansion. Though he never really gave it much thought, Gokudera isn't surprised to find out Hibari is living posh. Only a guy who never has to worry about money (food, clothes, textbooks, a roof) can act like Hibari does.

Gokudera takes off the helmet and sets it on the seat. Hibari is already striding towards the door, which he slides open, pausing only to toe his shoes off before going inside. Gokudera follows through the open door and looks at the frame. No locks. Figures. Just like him to think no one would dare to burglarize his house.

Gokudera passes a spacious living room with traditional furnishings of a low table and seat cushions, a spotless, anachronistic kitchen with a dining table for ten at least, and doors and doors and doors; all identical, wood-framed sliding doors filled in with what looks like the traditional paper, but upon closer inspection is sprayed glass. Bare wooden floors. A nostalgic scent though he sees no flowers.

Hibari waits in front of an open door. When Gokudera reaches him, he gestures inside and says, "This is your room. Dinner at seven."

Gokudera glances at the room, and when he looks back, Hibari is gone. Shrugging, he goes in. It is as sparsely furnished as the rest of the house, only a low cabinet and small table set out. In the closet he finds seat cushions, bedding, and pillows-all pristine, not even a speck of dust. He lays out the bedding, then falls back onto it, wondering if anyone else has ever lived in this room, in this house, with Hibari.

* * *

Gokudera goes to the kitchen and finds a traditional Japanese feast. The dining table is laden with food, side dishes and main dishes, dishes that look like they would cost half a month's rent. Each is artfully displayed on translucent porcelain. The savory smells of the grilled fish and pickled vegetables mingle with the fragrance of decorative flowers.

"Wha-did you make all this yourself?" Gokudera gapes.

"No," says Hibari from his place at the head of the table. He has changed into a yukata. "I told the cooks that I had company."

Gokudera rolls his eyes and sits down on Hibari's left. It was a dumb question-of course Hibari has cooks, plural, to whip up a meal for him when he snaps his fingers.

Once Gokudera has sat, Hibari begins to serve himself. They eat in silence aside from chewing and chopsticks clattering and soup slurping. Once Gokudera starts eating, he has no qualms about going for seconds. With his budget, he can never afford to turn down free food.

Hibari eats at a steady, rather slow pace, and Gokudera has the impression that eating doesn't particularly interest him. He finishes the contents of his soup bowl and his rice bowl, then sets his chopsticks aside. When Gokudera's appetite winds down, he traces the lip of his teacup for a while before asking, "What am I doing here?"

Hibari looks up at him without expression.

"I mean, why are you letting me stay here? You hate crowds."

Hibari picks up his teacup, left hand around the rim and right hand supporting the bottom, and blows the coiling steam away. "Two is not a crowd."

Gokudera has nothing to say to that, so he carries on eating the remainder in his bowl. When Hibari finishes his tea, he sets the cup down beside his plate, stands up, and leaves the table. He pauses at the door, however, and turns his head to look at Gokudera. "The bathroom is two doors to the left of your room."

Then he is gone in a whisper of cloth and soft footsteps on the wooden floor.

* * *

When Gokudera returned from showering, he found his two duffle bags in front of the door of his room. He took them inside and halfway through putting his clothes away in the drawers it occurred to him that Hibari never said how long he could stay, nor did he ask, yet there he was unpacking. He finished anyway.

Now his hair is dry, his homework done, and he's bored, watching the smoke filter through his teeth into the night air. Out on the porch, he rests his arms on his knees, his head on the back of one hand while the other dangles at the end of his wrist holding a cig between two fingers.

Hibari is like this smoke: right in front of him, yet untouchable. He swipes at the grey cloud before it dissipates-no, touchable, but uncatchable. Tendrils escape through his fingers.

"I'm okay living with smoke," Gokudera says aloud to himself, and takes another drag.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Gokudera on the porch, Hibari reclines on the slanted roof above, his school blazer across his shoulders and legs crossed. He takes out a tonfa, holding it up to glint in the moonlight, and considers whether to bite Gokudera Hayato to death for the crime of smoking on his property. He stifles a yawn with the other hand and lets the tonfa fall to his side. Gokudera Hayato is a guest. Rules would be established come morning.

Not that he is one to follow the rules. Hibari knows this side of him well. Dynamite and a scowl, as if either can do any harm. He is weak… but he does not act like an herbivore. If Hibari were to jump down there right now with tonfas in hand, Gokudera Hayato would not hesitate to retaliate with dynamite. Hibari could undoubtedly subdue him and his cheap explosives, and the scowl would never waver, only deepen. Gokudera Hayato may be weak, but he is never afraid. Perhaps that is a weakness in itself.

"I can live with that kind of weakness," Hibari says softly to himself, and yawns again.

* * *

Endnote: This story takes place within the manga storyline, and this first chapter is roughly after chapter 56.


	2. See You at Home

Chapter 2: See You at Home

Preview: In which Gokudera decides to stay.

* * *

"Wake up, Hayato."

Gokudera rouses, but doesn't open his eyes. He rolls away from the voice.

"I will not repeat myself."

Now he opens his eyes. Memories of the day before inundate his sleepy brain, and the fact that he is waking up to Hibari's voice would floor him if he weren't already lying down. Rolling back over, he sees Hibari standing in the doorway in black pajamas. And his hair—

"PfftHAHAHAHA." Gokudera curls up into himself, shaking with laughter.

Hibari scowls. "What are you laughing at?"

Gokudera just points at the standing mess on the right side of Hibari's head. Evidently he only slept on his right side last night since there isn't a hair out of place on the left half. Hibari runs a hand through his hair irritably. "Breakfast in half an hour."

A moment after he leaves, Gokudera yells, "What'd you call me?!"

No answer, of course. Gokudera checks the clock, which reads 6:30am. His mouth and nose collaborate in the production of a very indignant noise as he crawls out of bed.

* * *

Breakfast is dim sum, fluffy white buns and translucent dumplings and sesame-coated turnip cakes. A place is set on Hibari's left with congee in the bowl. The amount of food has been reduced to a two-person serving proportion.

"What's the hurry?" Gokudera yawns loudly. "Still have an hour and a half until school."

"Breakfast is at seven," Hibari answers simply. He is already dressed in uniform. Gokudera is still in a T-shirt and pajama pants.

Breakfast, like dinner, is otherwise a silent affair. Hibari finishes first. Again, Gokudera notices, Hibari leaves his dishes where they are. He picks his blazer off the chair and slides it on, then looks at Gokudera. "Do you want a ride?"

"On your bike? Hell no." It was one thing after school when no one was around, but in the morning when people might see?

"Hm." Hibari leaves the room, his footsteps fading in the direction of the front door. Gokudera hears the sound of the door opening, then Hibari's voice calling, "Don't be late."

"I don't need you telling me that!"

* * *

Gokudera is late. He underestimated the distance from Hibari's house to school, thinking twenty minutes would be sufficient time to walk, and overestimated his running ability once he realized he was going to be late. He's only ten minutes late, but Tenth gives him a concerned look when he skids into homeroom slightly out of breath.

"Are you okay, Gokudera-kun?" Tenth asks.

"Yeah, I'm great, Tenth. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, I just thought, since you didn't show up at my house this morning, and you left so quickly yesterday, I just thought you might've had something going on." Tenth's knit brow overshadows his big brown eyes.

Gokudera smiles despite himself. "Nothing to worry about, Tenth. I had to move to a new place unexpectedly, but everything is taken care of."

"Oh, okay." The wrinkle in Tenth's forehead eases. Gokudera basks in the afterglow of Tenth's kindness for the rest of class. To think Tenth would notice his troubles by his absence—yes, Tenth knew he would never leave his (right) side without good reason! Still, it wouldn't do to worry Tenth so much about these little things.

Gokudera frowns. Imagine how Tenth would react if he found out exactly which new place Gokudera had unexpectedly moved to. It doesn't help that Hibari is always disrespecting Tenth even though Tenth seems to have a lot of respect for Hibari.

The more Gokudera thinks about it, the more he regrets accepting to stay at Hibari's house. Though Hibari said nothing of payment, Gokudera has seen the way Hibari runs things, in the Disciplinary Committee, in school, in the whole damn town. There has to be a catch, and none of that bullshit about him being the best student or whatever. There's always a catch.

* * *

It's time for gym class, which means time to restock dynamite and discuss the future of the Vongola with Reborn-san. But first Gokudera will see Tenth safely to the locker rooms because you never know when or where assassins might strike, and the baseball idiot is only reliable in idiotic situations, always thinking everything is a game. He is blabbering to Tenth about what sport they're going to play in gym today, as if it matters. Gokudera shoves his hands in his pockets and looks out the window, trying to mentally tune out Yamamoto.

The hallway seems emptier than it was only a minute ago. Gokudera looks away from the window and there, walking towards them through the parted crowd, is Hibari. Gokudera stares bug-eyed at Hibari, wondering what to do, wondering if Hibari will do anything, then what would he tell Tenth?

"H-hello Hibari-san," says Tenth, rubbing his arm.

"Yo Hibari," says Yamamoto with a stupid grin and cheerful wave.

Hibari's eyes skim over them, perhaps resting a beat longer on Gokudera, but he does not say anything as he passes them by. Gokudera glances over his shoulder. Hibari does not look back.

All right, business as usual then. Suits him just fine.

* * *

Once all his dynamite is stashed on his person, Gokudera goes to Reborn-san's hideout and knocks. He waits a minute, then knocks again. Reborn-san must have gone for coffee. Well, he's been itching for a smoke anyway. Time for a break.

It's a nice enough day, and he can use a break from the other students too. They give him a wide berth as he walks, though some stupid girls giggle when he passes. The upper levels are emptier. No one is around to see him head up the stairs to the roof.

Which is not as student-free as he thought, though it could be argued that Hibari is not exactly a student. Hibari is napping, arms behind his head, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. Gokudera sneaks over to the side of the roof and flicks his lighter, thinking that as long as he's quiet and he blows the smoke through the gate—but Hibari is suddenly close and swipes the lighter. "Smoking is not allowed on Namimori campus, as I've told you before, Gokudera Hayato. You are also underage."

"So we're back to surnames now, huh, Kyoya?" Rather than annoying Hibari like he meant to, Gokudera thinks he sees the other boy's mouth curl just slightly. He waves the unlit cigarette at Hibari. "Why're you napping? You went to bed earlier than I did."

"I sleep when I'm bored." Hibari pockets Gokudera's lighter. "Get back to class."

"You're one to talk," Gokudera retorts. He ducks Hibari's swat and backs up before Hibari can follow up with a tonfa. Hibari doesn't seem inclined to though, covering a yawn with his hand. He returns to the center of the roof and lies back down, just as he was before Gokudera arrived.

Gokudera still has a few minutes before gym ends, and there's something on his mind. He sits on his heels a few paces away from Hibari. "Hey, Hibari."

Hibari, eyes closed, does not answer.

"Oi, Hibari, you couldn't have fallen asleep so fast."

Hibari does not stir.

Look at this bastard ignoring him. Gokudera takes out some dynamite, then realizes he has nothing to light them with. Well, he could just chuck them at Hibari's head, that should get his attention. Get his attention. Gokudera chews his lip, then, groaning inwardly, says, "Kyoya."

"You're still here?" Hibari opens one eye. This bastard.

"Yeah, I'm still here." Gokudera scratches his cheek. "Hey, how long can I stay at your place?"

Hibari closes his eye. "As long as I feel like."

Gokudera scowls. "Yeah, well, I'm gonna move out as soon as I find a new place! So this debt won't even be that big! And, and I'll definitely repay it someday…"

"Debt, huh?" Hibari opens both eyes and turns his head slightly to look at Gokudera. "I don't need such an inconvenient thing."

"Wha—you don't get to decide that!" Gokudera jumps up. "It's not like I want to owe you anything, but that's just how it is!"

"Do what you want." Hibari's eyelids droop. He waves his hand dismissively. "You're loud. Go away."

"Tch!" Gokudera scuffs his sole on the concrete as he walks away. He doesn't notice that the door to the stairs is ajar until he turns the knob and almost pulls the door into his face. His curses are caught in his throat at the sight of someone in the shadows.

"Re—Reborn-san!" Gokudera manages to catch the cigarette as it falls from his mouth.

Reborn steps into the light and looks up at Gokudera with those fathomless black eyes. Even Leon seems to look at him accusingly.

"Did you—did you hear?" Gokudera feels like he has just been caught doing something illicit, even though he hasn't done anything wrong. But if Reborn tells Tenth, things could get awkward.

"So, you and Hibari, huh?" Reborn smiles a little.

The way Reborn says this is strange, almost as if he were implying something… Gokudera shakes his head and waves his hands frantically. "No, no, no, it's not what it sounded like! We just live together now, that's all."

Reborn gazes at him, and Gokudera puts his hands in his pockets to keep them from fidgeting. "Good work, Gokudera," Reborn says finally.

"Ah, thanks." He brightens, then frowns. "Wait, what for?"

"Hibari will one day prove a valuable ally to the Vongola. Establishing a close connection now will smooth the process." Reborn adjusts his hat. "You've surprised me. I thought Yamamoto would be the one to do it. He's the sociable one."

With that said, Reborn walks around Gokudera and pushes the door open. Gokudera sees Hibari is sitting up now, and his lips curve into an unmistakable smile as Reborn walks over. Then the door closes.

Gokudera all but skips back to class.

* * *

At the end of the school day, Gokudera is still brimming with confidence from Reborn's surprising compliment. Yamamoto notices, and when he asks the reason, Gokudera just pats him on the back and smiles smugly. Tenth notices too, but Gokudera shakes his head and shrugs when Tenth asks why he is in such a good mood. A right-hand man doesn't need to brag about his accomplishments to the boss.

A good day indeed. Thinking on how strange the day before was, today seems so peaceful. Here he is, heading home with Tenth and Yamamoto as usual.

And there's Hibari, who is going to ignore them as usual.

Or not.

Hibari's eyes flicker toward Gokudera, piercing, and he inclines his head slightly to the left. Gokudera frowns as he watches Hibari enter an empty classroom. What did he want? Gokudera shoves his hands in his pockets and considers just leaving, but Hibari never _wants_ to talk. It could be important.

"Ah, I forgot my ruler," says Gokudera to Yamamoto. He can't bring himself to lie directly to Tenth, even a small fib like this.

"So? You can use mine," Yamamoto answers, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't want to use yours! Just wait, it'll take me one minute." Gokudera strides back into the school building and glances around before sidling into the classroom. Hibari is by the window, leaning on the sill with arms crossed.

"What is it?" Gokudera says, shutting the door behind him.

Hibari puts his hands on the edge of the windowsill. "I will return home at five o'clock. Do you want a ride?"

Gokudera raises his eyebrows. "Nah, I'm probably gonna be with Tenth then. I'll walk."

Hibari nods and straightens up. He walks past Gokudera without looking at him.

"What, is that it?" Gokudera says, following him.

Hibari opens the door.

"Ah." Gokudera reaches out a hand that falters under Hibari's sidelong gaze. Gokudera looks up and says as casually as he can, "But I could use a ride tomorrow morning."

Hibari nods again. "Fine." He walks out.

"See you at home," Gokudera calls without thinking, then curses inwardly at himself. What is he, a housewife telling her husband to come home soon or else she'll be lonely? There's something so _domestic_ in those four words.

Gokudera expects Hibari to answer with silence, as he answers most of everything said to him. Hibari does not pause in his step, does not look back, but he does raise a hand briefly over his shoulder, silently.

* * *

Endnote: Been a long while for this chapter, hopefully will be able to update more regularly.


	3. Can't Sleep

Chapter 3: Can't Sleep

Preview: In which Gokudera learns why Hibari naps so often, and Hibari learns what keeps Gokudera up at night.

* * *

Gokudera shifts in his sleep and wakes himself. He turns over to the other side of the bed, wants to go back to sleep, but his throat is dry, his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. Groaning, he gets up, sliding the door open and dragging his feet through.

He heads for the kitchen, blinking heavily and yawning. He only realizes he's going the wrong way when he finds an open door. All doors are always closed in this house—not that there's anything to hide, only no one's around to open them. He was supposed to turn the right corner after the bathroom, not the left.

Still, he is curious enough to have a look before he retraces his steps. The door is open just enough to allow for one person to walk through. He peeks in. The bed is a traditional Japanese one, low wooden frame with a smaller mattress set in the center. The dark blue sheets are perfectly smooth, the pillows perfectly plump. A half-filled bookcase occupies the smallest wall beside a doorway to what looks like a bathroom. In the corner of the room is a desk, a calligraphy scroll hanging over it, and on the chair is a black blazer with the red Namimori Disciplinary Committee armband safety-pinned to the sleeve.

Gokudera continues to the kitchen. On his way, he sees Hibari sitting cross-legged at the table in the living room. Though he sees no change in Hibari's posture, no tension in the shoulders or turning of the head, he is sure Hibari notices him. In the kitchen, he fills a glass with water, gulps it down quickly and wipes his mouth. Rinses the glass, puts it back. He takes a step toward the door, reconsiders, gets another glass and fills it. This he brings to the living room, but Hibari is gone. He leaves the glass on the table, then returns to his room.

In the morning, the glass is half empty. He takes it to the kitchen, where Hibari is waiting with breakfast still steaming on the table.

"Good morning, Hayato," says Hibari quietly.

"Sleep well?" Gokudera asks with eyebrows raised. The glass clinks as he sets it down.

"Fine."

* * *

Though Gokudera now lives with Hibari, he only ever sees the older boy sleeping at school. Just the other day, he and Tenth and Yamamoto were eating lunch on the roof as usual, and on the roof of the next building he saw the form of one Hibari Kyoya, his hands pillowing his head. So he has come to realize that Hibari is an insomniac.

Gokudera is an occasional insomniac himself, but he does not resort to sleeping all over the place like some kind of feral cat. When he wakes up in the dead of night, as he has now, he occupies himself with something else. Thinking about sleep only chases it away. Grumbling a little, he gets up, taking a pack of cigarettes and a lighter with him. He turns the left corner, intentionally this time, headed for the backyard.

The back porch is larger than the front one, overlooking the spare Japanese garden, all rounded bushes and small trees with the odd stone pagoda. The cicada chirruping is louder out here. Gokudera dangles his legs off the side, grass tickling his toes, and pulls out a cig. At the same time he flicks his lighter, he hears, "Refrain from smoking here, Hayato."

He nearly drops the lit lighter, fumbling with it and covering it before looking around. To the right is Hibari framed in an open window, sitting on the sill with his legs bent and bare toes against the corner. "The hell are you doing there?"

"This is my room," Hibari answers with a touch of obviousness. His room must be a corner of the house.

"Yeah, well…" Gokudera brings the cig to his lips and, in swift déjà vu, Hibari is standing in front of him, snatching it away.

"If you cannot follow the house rules, Hayato—"

"What else is there to do around here? Least you could have a TV—"

Hibari pockets the cigarette and leans against a post. "There is a TV."

"What, where?"

"In the cabinet on the wall of the sitting room."

"I don't remember seeing any cabinet on the wall."

"Not the sitting room by the front door. The other one by your room."

Gokudera hasn't explored all the rooms in the house mainly because what he has seen so far is so _empty_. Like no one has breathed in the rooms for a long time, let alone lived there. It reminds him of his father's mansion. His old apartment, though it was cramped and the plumbing wasn't always reliable, definitely looked and felt lived in.

Of course, he lived there alone. If he still lived there, he would be smoking a cigarette by the small kitchen window, and when he finished it, would lie back on his futon and try to tune out the trashy music from the club across the street.

Here he lies back on the porch. Hibari settles down beside him and they listen to the cicadas.

* * *

She won't turn around, won't answer him, but plays the piano. Her song tells him to be a good boy and bring the sheet music before the piano breaks. He fetches it for her, the sheet music written in Italian, written in his father's handwriting. As he approaches her, she is bent over the keys, her long hair curtaining her face. He holds out the sheet music, now written in G-script, and it tells him to BURN THEM ALL, but he ignores it, he just wants her to look at him. She straightens up very slowly and her hair leaps away from her face as if a gust blew it back and she turns to look at him, but no matter how he strains his eyes, pulls at his eyelids, he can't see her—

All Gokudera sees is the darkened ceiling, then the outline of his hand as he brings it up to rub his forehead. He sits up and feels his chest—his heart thuds against his palm. Clenching his shirt, he takes deep breaths until his heart rate slows. He tries to lie back down and close his eyes, but he knows if he goes back to sleep now, the same dream will start over again, a looping soundless film.

He flings off the covers. His eyes have adjusted to the semidarkness. He lets his feet take him toward the kitchen, but they pause before the living room. Hibari is there, in his customary seat with a book on the table. Gokudera stares at his back until Hibari finally says, "Why are you awake at this time?"

"Can't sleep."

"Clearly." Hibari studies him for a moment. "Usually you watch TV if you can't sleep."

Gokudera doesn't say anything. Hibari continues to stare at him, and Gokudera can practically hear the words already: "I won't repeat myself."

"I had a dream," Gokudera mutters.

Hibari raises an eyebrow.

"About my mother," Gokudera elaborates, looking away.

"She's dead."

"You think I don't know that?" Gokudera snaps.

Hibari shrugs.

Gokudera scowls. "Forget it." He leans over his knees and holds his forehead in his hands.

"If you're so bothered, go visit her grave," Hibari says simply.

Gokudera snorts. "Sure, except she's in Italy."

Hibari tilts his head slightly. "She was Japanese. You are Japanese."

"So what?"

"The Japanese visit their dead in the cemetery, but also keep them in their homes."

Gokudera frowns. "What're you trying to say?"

Hibari gives a noncommittal shake of his head and, getting to his feet, walks off, but Gokudera thinks he hears Hibari say under his breath, "_Gaijin_."

* * *

When Gokudera comes home the next day, he heads to his room as usual—he doesn't need to announce himself to Hibari, who won't come out of his room until dinnertime. As Gokudera reaches out to slide open his door, he pauses—from the corner of his eye, he sees a door down the hall on the opposite side is slightly open, like someone just left and pulled the door behind lazily. He can't help glancing around before approaching the door cautiously.

Through the crack in the doorway, he sees something that makes his heart seize. A face from long ago.

He walks in without thinking, eyes trained on that face. It is a photograph, and she looks very young. The camera angle is high and to her left, an unfamiliar angle when last he saw her he looked up into her face. He sinks to the floor before her; even now, he cannot stand looking at her from above. Her smile, though, he remembers her smile and she is smiling with the corners of her mouth, as she once did while teaching him to play the piano.

"You look like her."

Gokudera jumps. Hibari is standing in the doorway, and now he uncrosses his arms and comes to sit on his knees beside Gokudera. Gokudera watches as Hibari reaches for a box of incense sticks lying beside the photograph and takes out two sticks. He hands one to Gokudera, then looks at Gokudera expectantly and Gokudera brings out his lighter.

Inhaling the bittersweet scent of incense, they put the sticks into the bowl of sand before Gokudera's mother. The twin spirals of smoke frame her face. Hibari presses his hands together, touches them to his forehead, then back down to his chest. Gokudera mimics his actions.

Then Hibari stands, and Gokudera wants to say something, but what comes out is, "How'd you know about my mother?"

"You transferred to Namimori," Hibari replies, as if that answers everything.

So Gokudera tries a harder question. "Why did you do this?"

Hibari shrugs. "If you're going to do something, do it right."

Still Gokudera wants to say something, but he doesn't know what—only questions lift off his tongue. "Why only her? Isn't this your family altar?"

Hibari looks at Gokudera appraisingly. "So you do know something." He waves his hand carelessly. "I don't need this. My mother lives."

Gokudera's mouth trembles, but the small noises that issue forth are not enough to stop Hibari from leaving. He turns back to his mother's photograph. He cannot articulate even in his own head what he is feeling—it's painful, but he won't stop looking. It has been so long since he could see her with such clarity. He can't admit even now that what scared him most about the dream was the possibility of forgetting his mother's face altogether.

From then on, whenever Gokudera can't sleep, he goes to his mother's altar and lights incense for her instead of going outside for a smoke. Sometimes Hibari joins him.

* * *

Endnote: Well, that took a more serious turn than I expected.

_Gaijin_ is a somewhat offensive Japanese term for foreigners; it literally means 'person from the outside.'


	4. Have You Eaten?

Chapter 4: Have You Eaten?

Preview: In which Hibari impresses upon Gokudera the importance of dinnertime.

* * *

Living with Hibari means living by the clock. He comes to wake Gokudera every morning at six on the dot, even on the weekend. He eats breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the same time everyday; food is prepared for him and set on the table before he even comes in the room. Although Gokudera has never eaten lunch with Hibari at school, he's willing to bet the same happens there.

So he knows something is up when he comes home and the kitchen light is on. He doesn't have a watch, but it is definitely past dinnertime and Hibari is not one to go for a late night snack. He approaches the rectangle of light on the floor cut from the kitchen entrance, pauses, then crosses through it.

Hibari sits at the head of the table and doesn't turn around to look at Gokudera when he walks in. Gokudera stops behind his own chair.

"Have you eaten?" Hibari asks.

"What?" Gokudera looks over the careful arrangement of the plates and bowls—symmetrically aligned, as they always are when he and Hibari sit down for a meal, and, without thinking, lies, "Uh, no. No, I didn't. How long have you been sitting here? Have you been sitting here since seven o'clock?"

Hibari doesn't answer.

It occurs to Gokudera now that since he moved in with Hibari, he hasn't once missed dinner. He ate at Tenth's house today. He doesn't usually since Tenth's mother already has to feed so many mouths, but it was the last day of class and that called for some celebration. Bianchi and Reborn had gone out as well, so he didn't have to worry about puking up all his food and offending Tenth's mother.

But if he'd known Hibari was going to sit here for hours, like a robot out of battery…

He touches the platter holding steamed fish. "Man, the food's cold. Did you even take a bite?"

"No."

Gokudera stares at Hibari, who reaches for the serving spoon beside the fish, but Gokudera grabs his wrist. "Just wait a minute. You can't eat it like this."

Hibari watches Gokudera gather up as many dishes as he can carry at once to the kitchen. There's no microwave, like it's not good enough for Hibari's food or something, so he shoves the fish and rice and vegetables into the oven for a couple minutes. He can't find oven mitts, but dealing with explosives all his life he's built up a considerable heat resistance; he picks up the hot ceramic without flinching and takes them back to the table.

Hibari begins to serve himself as soon as Gokudera sits down. It's the fastest Gokudera has ever seen Hibari eat (which means he doesn't chew each bite for a fricking year like a camel). Gokudera toys with his own food, but makes out like he's eating whenever Hibari looks at him.

"You shouldn't have waited," Gokudera says finally. "Why would you wait so long? Weren't you hungry?"

Hibari takes a moment to answer since his mouth is full. He swallows before saying, "It's more convenient if we both eat at the same time."

"Don't be stupid. If I'm not here at seven, just eat. I mean it's not like I can let you know until it's happened, so if I'm not around, just go ahead."

Hibari blinks, then goes back to his food. When he finishes, he walks out, and Gokudera can stop pretending to eat. As Gokudera stacks up dishes to take to the sink, he wonders why Hibari did such a thing. He does everything by his own schedule, never listens to anyone, will beat the shit out of anyone who dares to waste his time, yet he waited until Gokudera came home to eat dinner. With him. What a _weirdo_.

Then Gokudera notices he is smiling.

The next morning, Gokudera is awoken at six, but not by Hibari—on the table is a cellphone vibrating and ringing. It repeats the same cheerful jingle over and over until he crawls over, tugs it from the charger cord, and flips it open.

It chirps and vibrates in his hand.

_1 new message_

He opens it.

_Breakfast?_ _-Kyoya_

* * *

Endnote: Well, well, another update so soon. New chapters will probably be shorter now until I work in the manga storyline again.


End file.
